Locomotive drive arrangement



March 2, 1943. I A. H. MOREY 2,312,924

LOCOMOTIVE DRIVE ARRANGEMENT Filed March 12, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventorz. Arthur H. Morey,

His Attorneys.

March 2, 1943. A. H. MOREY 2,312,924

LOCOMOTIVE DRIVE ARRANGEMENT Filed March 12, 1942 2 Sheets-Shee t 2 I II L;

r": ll

Inventor? Arthur H. Morey,

b His Attorneg.

V of a speed reducing and reversing Patented Mar. 2, 1943 I atlases Locoaro'rrvsn Arthur H. Morey, Erie, Pa, assignmto General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application March 12, 1M2, Serial No; 434,385

4 Claims; (Cl. EH55) The present invention relates to locomotive drive arrangements including a power agency or prime mover such as an elastic fluid turbine and speed reducing and reversing means connecting the power agency to a drive axle.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction of locomotive drive arrangements which is simple and rugged in design and can be readily shifted from forward to re verse operation.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following description and the claims appended thereto in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Fig. 1 illustrates a side View I of an arrangement embodying my invention; Fig.

2 is a top view, partly in section, of the arrangement of Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 show front views of the arrangement in two difierent operating positions; and Fig. 5 illustrates an enlarged sectional view along line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

The arrangement comprises an axle it with wheels ii and it connected to. its ends. The axle id is driven by a prime mover such as an elastic fluid turbine it through the intermediary gearing id. The turbine is has a shaft it with a pinion it meshing with a gear ii. The gear ll. has a hub it fastened to the end of a universal coupling comprising an internal gear or coupling member it with a hollow hub 2t whichis secured to the aforementioned hub it. In addition the universal coupling includes an external gear or cou-' pling member 2i secured to the end of the shaft 22. The teeth of the gear 2i mesh with the teeth of the internal gear l9 and the shaft 22 passes freely'through a bore 23 of the hub 29. The

hub 28 of the gear i9 is rotatably supported on a casing 2d which latter and the turbine'are suitably secured on the locomotive frame, not shown.

The left-hand end of the shaft 22 is secured to an external gear or coupling member 26 meshing with an internal gear or coupling member 26.

The latter has a hub fastened to a shaft 21 which also carries a beveled pinion 28 arranged in co-* iii transmits the torque through the gear 29 to the axle it.

My invention includes the provision of means for moving the pinion 28 out of engagement with one-of the gears 29, t0 and into-engagement with the other of these gears. To this end the beveled pinion 28 with its shaft 21 and the internal gear it secured thereto are pivotally supported. As shown in Figs. 2*"and 5 the shaft 21 is rotatably supported in bearings 3i and 32 which in turn are held in a casing lid having a lower portion pivotally held on a pivot 36. With this arrangement the casing 83 may be turned or swung about the pivot 3d and the pinion 28 may be moved into engagement with either of the gears 29, 36

and thereby the locomotive may be operated in either direction. The coupling shaft 22 extending along the entire length of the turbine is turned or swung a small angle only during reversing operation.

The arrangement includes means to edect such reversing operation by manipulation of a simple operative relation with two beveled gears 29 and it. In the present instance the pinion 28 meshes with the gear 29. In'this position torque may be transmitted from the turbine it through the pinion it to the gear ll, whence the torque is transmitted through the universal coupling including the members it, 2i and the members 25, 38 t0 theshaft 27 of the pinion 23. The latter lever and to lock the'casing 38 in position during operation. This means includes two hydraulic motors, preferably air pressure operated motors so and to, each having a piston t1 and it, respectively. The piston 3i oitl'ie motor has a stem pivotally connected by a toggle 39 to one side of the casing 38. The piston 38 of theservo= motor as has a stem pivotally "connected by a toggle dd to the other side of the casing 33. The how of operating fluid such as air under pressure to the hydraulic motors 35, it is controlled by "a valve it which has three heads d2 connected to a stem is which at its upper end is pivoted to a iulcruxned operating'lever it. iihe valve casing with the valve. heads forms four chambers t5, it, it and 48. In the position showmoperating fluid is conducted to the chembers t5 and do by a pipe '89 and operating fluid under pressure is discharged from thechamber it through a port and conduits 5!] to the lower end of the hydraulic motor 35 and tothe upper end of the motor 36. Simultaneously the upper end of the motor 35 and the lower end of the motor 36 are connected by pipes 5! to the chamber ll to discharge fluid through a drain port. Thus in the position indicated in Fig. 3 the piston 3? of the motor 85. assumes its upper end position and the piston 38 of the motor 35 assumes its lower end position. If the hand lever V dd is turned counterclockwise into the dashdotted line position 52 the positionof the hycasing 33 has been moved towards the right.

The toggle 33 with the elements associated therewith is arranged so that in the position indicated in Fig. 3 it is beyond the dead centerline, the dead centerline being the line drawn from the left-hand end of the toggle 33 perpendicular to the stem or centerline of the piston 33. To assure smooth operation the lower end portion 33 of the stem of the piston 33 forms a crosshead engaged by a guide 34.

The toggle mechanisms and the casing 33 are locked in position, that is beyond the center line of the particular toggle mechanism by means of springs 55 and 53. The spring 55 is held on a fixed support 51 in cooperative relation with a.

projection 33 of the casing 33. Similarly, the spring 33 is held on a fixed support 53 and is also in cooperative relation with the projection 33. In the position in Fig. 3 the spring 53 is compressed by engagement with the projection 33 and thereby the spring 33 biases the housing or casing 33 clockwise and locks the toggle mechanism 33 into its beyond or over center" position. In the position in Fig. 4 the spring 55 is expanded while the spring 33 is compressed by engagement with the projection .53 and locks the toggle mechanism 33 into its "beyond or over center position. Once the casing 33 has been moved to eifect complete meshing between the pinion 23 and one of the gears 23, 33 the casing 33 is held in position by action of one of the springs 55, 33 which look the corresponding toggle mechanisms 33 and 33 in position. The hydraulic motors 33 and 33 then may be disconnected from the source of fluid pressure. by closing a valve 33 in the supply pipe 33.

Reversing of the operation is only possible when the teeth of the pinion 23 are located so that some of them may enter the spaces between the teeth of one-of the cooperating gears 23, 33. Sometimes the pinion is not in the proper angular position to permit meshing with one of the gears 23, 33. The tops or crest of some ear teeth then hit against the tops or crest of some pinion teeth and it becomes necessary slightly to rotate the pinion 23. This is accomplished by theprovision of an auxiliary motor. In the present example I have shown an electric motor 3| (Fig. 2) connected by a circuit 32 including contacts 33 to a'power line 34. The auxiliary motor 3| is connected to the turbine shaft by a friction coupling 33 which latter may be moved into and out of engagement by means of a fulcrumed lever 33. Closing of the coupling 35 causes slow angular rotation of the turbine and through the gearing slight rotation of the pinion 23, thus turning the latter into a position in which it may be meshed with one of the gears My invention includes the provision of means for automatically starting the motor 3| (Fig. 2) when the pinion 23 cannot be brought into meshing relationship with one of the gears 23, 33 and for automatically disconnecting the motor 3| once such meshing relationship has been attained. This means comprises a servomotor 31 (Fig. 2) which has a spring-biased piston 33 connected to the aforementioned lever 33 and a pipe 33 for conducting operating fluid such as air under pressure to the pressure chamber of the'motor 31. The supply of air under pressure forces the piston 33 towards the right, thus causing closing of the coupling 33 and simultaneously bridging of the contacts 33 to close the cirp v 4 2,812,924 Fig. 4 in which position the pinion shaft with its cuit 32 of the motor 3|. The supply of air under pressure to the motor 31 is controlled by a control valve 13 (Figs. 3 and 4). The latter has a casing 1| with a piston 12 movably disposed therein and pivotally connected by a stem 13 to an ear or projection 13 rigidly secured to the casing 33. The right-hand end of the cylinder 1| forms a chamber with a port connected by a pipe 13 to a source of pressure, in the present instance (Fig. 3) to the chamber 33 of the valve 3|. A port 13 of the cylinder is connected by the aforementioned pipe 33 to the servo-motor 31 and another port 11 circumferentially spaced from the port 13 is connected to a drain pipe 13. The piston has two circumferentiallyv spac'ed grooves 13 and 33 and a channel 3|, the latter communicating in all positions of the piston with the chamber formed at the right-hand end of the cylinder. In the position shown in Fig. 3 the circumferential groove 33 of the piston connects the pipe 33 to the drain pipe 13, thereby effecting draining of fluid under pressure from the servo-motor 31 and causing disconnecting of the auxiliary motor 3| and the clutch 33.

During the reversing operation the casing 33 in Fig. 3 is turned clockwise. Simultaneously with such clockwise turning movement the piston 12 is moved towards the right and in a certain intermediate position the channel 3| in the piston establishes communication between the pipe 13 and the supply pipe 33 for the servo-motor 31. If during this communication the teeth of the pinion can enter the spaces between one of the gears 23, 23 the turning movement of the casing 33 will continue and the piston 12 will travel further to the right. The period of communication between the channel 3| and the pipe 33 then is of such short duration that no pressure is built up in the servo-motor 31 to connect the motor 3| to the line 33 and to' effect engagement of the clutch 33. If, however, such meshing relationship cannot be attained at once the casing 33 and accordingly the piston 12 will remain in the intermediate position in which the channel 3| connects the pipe 13 to the pipe 33 and thereby causes the supply and the building up of fluid under pressure in the servo-motor 31. The latter thereupon causes actuation of the motor 3| and slight turning of the turbine l3 and the pinion 23 until the pinion 23 and the gear 23 or 33 mesh and the casing 33 can be further moved clcckwise to complete the reversing operation. Upon further clockwise movement of the casing the channel 3| is disconnected from the pipe 33 and in the end position of the piston 12 the groove 13 connects the pipe 33 to the drain port 11 to cause draining of fluid under pressure from the servo-motor 31 whereupon the spring biased piston 33 is forced to the left into the position shown in Fig. 2.

eration from the position shown in Fig. 4 into that of Fig. 3 is similar to that described above. The channel 3| again effects communication between the pipe 13 and the supply pipe 33 in the intermediate position of the piston or valve head 12, and the annular groove 33 in the end position of the piston shown in Fig. 3 again connects'the pipe 33 to the drain port 11.

With my arrangement the change from operation in one direction into the reverse direction is completely automatic as regards the proper position of the pinion. All that is necessary for the operator is to turn the hand-lever 33. The supply pipe 13 for the valve 13 is connected to the The mechanism then assumes the position shown in Fig. 4. The reversing opposiin the .tion by the operator it may be desirable to .provide an interlocking mechanism which permits admission of air to the cylinders 35 and 88 only after an emergency application 01' the brakes to the drive wheels has been made. Such mechanism is not shown in the drawings and not further described as it does not form a part oi this application.

Having described the method of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent oi the United States is: r

1. Locomotive drive arrangement comprising an axle, two beveled gears having teeth facing each other for driving the axle in either direction oi rotation, a beveled pinion cooperatively arranged with both gears, a power agency, means including a universal coupling having one element connected to the power agency and an-' other element connected to the pinion, means for supporting the pinion comprising a casing and a pivotal support for the casing, a hydraulic motor having a piston. and a toggle mechanism connectingthe piston to the casing, said toggle mechanism including a toggle which in an end position is located beyond its dead centerline, and means locking the casing into said position.

2. Locomotive drive arrangement comprising an axle, two beveled gears having teeth facing each other for driving the axle in either direction of rotation, a beveled pinion cooperatively arranged with both gears, a power agency, means including a universal coupling having one element connected to the power agency and another element connected to the pinion,- means for supporting the pinion comprising a casing and a pivotal support for the-casing, a hydraulic motor having a piston and a toggle mechanism connecting the piston to the casing, said toggle mechanism including a toggle which in an end position is located beyond its dead centerline,

- and means including a spring and a projection on the casing for beyond dead center" position.

J for the casing for supporting the pinion,

locking the toggle into said 3. Locomotive drive arrangement comprising an axle, two beveled gears having teeth facing each other and secured to the axle, an elastic fluid turbine, a speed the turbine, a beveled pinion cooperatively arranged: with the beveled gears, universal coupling means connecting the gear to the beveled pinion, means including a casing and a pivotal support hydraulically actuated means for turning the casing to move the pinion from engagement with one beveled gear into engagement with the other beveled gear, and an auxiliary motor for connectionto the turbine shaft to effect slight rotation of the pinion upon the top of a pinion tooth hitting against the top of a beveled gear tooth.

4. Locomotive drive arrangement comprising an axle, two beveled gears having teeth facing each other and secured to the axle, an elastic fluid turbine, a speed the turbine, a beveled pinion cooperatively arranged with the beveled gears, universal coupling means connecting the gear to the beveled pinion,

.means including a' casing and a pivotal support for the casing for supporting the pinion, hydraulically actuated ing to move the pinion from engagement with one beveled gear into engagement with the other beveled gear, an auxiliary motor,and means for automatically actuating the motor upon the top of a pinion tooth hitting against the top of one of the gear teeth, said last named means comprising a motor actuating lever, a servo-motor connected to the lever and means for conducting'operating fluid to the a valve having a piston pivotally connected to said casing.

AR'II-IUR. H. MOREY.

reducing gear driven from reducing gear driven from means for turning the casservo-motor including I 

